Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Msgr. Leonidas Proaño: The "Bishop of the Indigenous People" is remembered by his own

On the same land where he was born, the body of monseñor Leonidas Proaño is buried, in the chapel of Pucahuaico, in San Antonio, Imbabura province.

A century after his birth, which occurred on 29 January 1910, a series of activities are being held around the country not just to commemorate him but to remember the work that the "bishop of the indigenous people" took on during most of his life for those whom he called "the poorest of the poor", as he referred to the indigenous people.

The Simón Bolívar Andean University held a symposium last Friday called Pachamama Pueblos Liberación y Sumak Kawsay, with speakers from Guatemala, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Belgium, Mexico, Spain, Venezuela and Ecuador.

In Imbabura, the birthplace of Bishop Leonidas Proaño, events unfolded such as: the Sumak Kaisaypak Aknai ritual, which began yesterday. For today, a walk for life is scheduled, which will tour the house where Proaño was born and end at the Centro de Misioneras Indígenas (Center for Indigenous Missionaries) in Pucahuaico, where his remains lie.

Personalities of national politics, such as the president of the Ecuarunari, Delfín Tenesaca, who had the opportunity to meet and work alongside Leonidas Proaño, highlighted his thoughts and work. "Monsignor appeared as a light in the midst of so many shadows that obscured the indigenous people," he said.

Tenesaca stated that one of the main legacies of the work of Leonidas Proaño is having taught the indigenous people to "have very big eyes to look at reality and wide open ears."

His colleague in the Ecuadorian Bishops Conference and current archbishop of Cuenca, Monsignor Luis Alberto Luna Tobar, highlighted the work done by the "bishop of the poor" throughout his life.

"He is the greatest man in the whole history of the Church in Ecuador," he stated.

Luna Tobar also noted that thanks to his work with Leonidas Proaño, he learned what it means to give your life for good and above all for the well-being of the neediest.

Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Lourdes Tiban stressed his influence on indigenous peoples. "Although he did not live in my province (Cotopaxi), he is a regional and national symbol. The work that started with community radio, for example, was inspired by Leonidas Proaño," she said.

Leonidas Eduardo Proaño Villalba was born on January 29, 1910 in San Antonio de Ibarra (Imbabura). On October 1, 1930, he entered the Seminario Mayor de Quito to study philosophy and theology, in 1936 he was ordained into the priesthood.

On May 26, 1954, he was consecrated bishop of the Diocese of Bolívar, named to that position by Pope Pius XII. Leonidas Proaño died on August 31, 1988, in Quito.